


homecoming

by LugianBeforeSwine



Category: James Holzhauer RPF, Jeopardy! (US TV)
Genre: Gen, Someone take my computer away, i can't effing believe i wrote this, is james a patriots fan? i dunno but i'm not, the first chapter is like feel-good family fluff, the second chapter is me hating on the new england patriots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 14:23:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19086853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LugianBeforeSwine/pseuds/LugianBeforeSwine
Summary: James spent the entire plane ride back to Vegas thinking about what he could have done differently.The winning streak is over, and it's back to normal life.(Someone had to write it and apparently that person was me)





	1. Chapter 1

James spent the entire plane ride back to Vegas thinking about what he could have done differently. True, he had had an amazing run, and his accomplishments were objectively incredible. He knew he should be thankful for everything he had achieved, and he was, but a little voice of self-doubt at the back of his mind kept telling him that he could have pushed himself farther, could have remained the champion for longer.

It was shortly after midnight when he got home, and though his wife and daughter were up waiting for him, he didn’t want to make them worry by revealing his feelings to them that night.

But it had to be talked about eventually, and so James finally broached the subject the next morning at breakfast. “I feel like I’ve disappointed you,” he said to his wife. Before she could get a word in, he continued, “Yeah, I know I broke a bunch of records, but I can’t shake this nagging feeling that I could’ve done better.”

“Sweetheart,” James’ wife said, setting her spoon down and reaching across the table to take her husband’s hand, “you gave it your all. You put everything on the line, every day, and now the whole country knows your name. You’ve made us both so proud.”

“Daddy is amazing!” James’ daughter chimed in, climbing out of her chair and into his lap.

His wife squeezed his hand once before letting go. “You are the farthest thing from a disappointment.”

“Thank you,” James said softly, leaning down to kiss the top of his daughter’s head. She giggled. “I know this wasn’t easy for either of you. But it really helped knowing I had the two best ladies in the world in my corner.”

James’ wife laughed. “Now that you’ve made us over $2 million richer, I feel like I have to apologize for all the times I made fun of you for being a quiz bowl nerd.”

“I told you it was a worthwhile activity!”

“But you did it every year of middle school, and high school, and college…”

“I thought you said you were gonna apologize!”

“I LOVE QUIZ BOWL!” their daughter screamed, and the whole family laughed together. 

It was good to be home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lemme take this moment to apologize to james holzhauer, alex trebek, merv griffin, and also god


	2. Chapter 2

Later that day, while their daughter was at a friend’s house, James decided it was time to get back into the sports betting game.

“I have a crazy idea,” he said to his wife, who was sitting on the couch next to him, reading a book.

She looked up, peering over his shoulder at his laptop screen. “What is it?”

“This might lose us some money, but we have some to spare, right?”

“Thanks to you, yes,” she replied.

“I wanna place a huge bet…that the Patriots lose everything this season. Just, like, all the games they play.”

“Honey, I think that is the best idea you’ve ever had. Fuck the Patriots!” she exclaimed.

“FUCK the Patriots,” James agreed heartily. “Okay. I’m doing it. Now everyone will know how much the Holzhauer family hates the Patriots.”

“And if that isn’t a good usage of your hard-earned trivia money, I don’t know what is,” she said, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me on tumblr at deadpan-snarker if you wanna talk about...whatever this is.


End file.
